Health Encyclopedia

Heimlich maneuver

Definition

The Heimlich maneuver is an emergency technique for preventing suffocation when a person's airway (windpipe) becomes blocked by a piece of food or other object. It can be used safely on both adults and children, but most experts do not recommend it for infants less than 1 year old. You can also perform the maneuver on yourself.

For a conscious person who is sitting or standing, position yourself behind the person and reach your arms around his or her waist. Place your fist, thumb side in, just above the person's navel and grab the fist tightly with your other hand. Pull your fist abruptly upward and inward to increase airway pressure behind the obstructing object and force it from the windpipe. The procedure may need to be repeated several times before the object is dislodged.

If repeated attempts do not free the airway, an emergency cut in the windpipe (tracheostomy or cricothyrotomy) may be necessary.

Alternative Names

Choking - Heimlich maneuver; Abdominal thrusts

Review Date:7/18/2007
Reviewed By:Eric Perez, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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